Sporting activities involving throwing, catching, and/or hitting a thrown or flying object have become a popular pastime. Many types of balls and objects are known for use in sporting activities involving bats, such as baseballs, softballs, and "balloon" balls. Yet other balls and objects exist for striking with a flat surfaced article like a racket or paddle, such as tennis balls and badminton shuttlecocks. Further, many variations exist in the compositions and coverings of such balls or objects that may affect the aerodynamics, safety of use, durability, hardness, resiliency, elasticity, etc. of the balls or objects.
Balls used in baseball-type games often travel great distances in the air after being hit by a bat. Additionally, when a ball is hit and lands it often rolls an additional distance. The result is that it is often difficult to confine such baseball-type games to restricted areas such as an indoor gym or residential yard. Furthermore, it is difficult to practice batting absent vast areas of open space or netting to catch and retrieve balls.
A need exists for a throwing and hitting sports toy that is not a ball, that is resilient when hit by a bat, paddle, racket, stick or other similar hitting device, that is safe for use by children, that does not fly as far as a ball when hit, that is suitable for confined areas such as indoor gyms and residential yards, that is easy to throw, that exhibits differing flight patterns depending on how it is thrown, and that does not roll significant distances after it lands.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in conventional throwing and hitting toys. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an improved throwing and hitting toy directed to overcoming the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, the present invention provides a suitable alternative including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.